Find out how popular the last name Chris is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Chris.

Chris, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Chris surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Chris in America

Chris is the 24222nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chris surname appeared 1,036 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Chris.

We can also compare 2010 data for Chris to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Chris

The surname Chris has its origins in the Greek language and culture, tracing back to around the 5th century BC. It derives from the Greek name "Christos," which means "anointed one" or "the anointed." This name was later adopted and popularized by early Christians as a reference to Jesus Christ.

Early recorded instances of the surname Chris can be found in various medieval records across Europe, particularly in regions with significant Greek and Byzantine influence, such as Southern Italy and parts of the Balkans. One notable example is the mention of a certain Georgios Chris in a 12th-century Byzantine manuscript from Constantinople.

As the name spread across Europe during the Middle Ages, it underwent various spelling variations, including Chrys, Chriss, and Criss. These variations were influenced by local dialects and linguistic adaptations in different regions.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname Chris was Giovanni Chris, a merchant from Genoa, Italy, who lived in the late 13th century. Records indicate that he traded extensively with the Byzantine Empire and played a role in facilitating cultural and commercial exchanges between the two regions.

In England, the surname Chris first appeared in the 16th century, likely brought by Greek or Italian immigrants. One notable figure from this period was Thomas Chris, a scholar and translator who lived from 1510 to 1585. He is known for his English translations of classical Greek texts.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the surname Chris gained further prominence in various European countries. Notable individuals with this surname include:

1. Johann Chris (1615-1677), a German mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the field of optics.
2. Maria Chris (1688-1762), a Greek-born painter known for her religious artworks and portraits, which were popular among the nobility in Venice.
3. Alexandros Chris (1760-1832), a Greek military leader who played a crucial role in the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire.
4. Sophie Chris (1810-1892), a French novelist and essayist whose works explored themes of feminism and social justice.
5. Konstantin Chris (1872-1945), a Russian-born artist and illustrator renowned for his intricate etchings and woodcuts, many of which depicted scenes from Russian folklore.

It is important to note that these historical references are not exhaustive, and there may be additional significant individuals or events associated with the surname Chris that have been lost or undocumented over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Chris

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Chris.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Chris was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Chris has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Chris was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Chris, please contact us.

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